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User: __aazsst3756

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  1. Re: dump the money losers on Microsoft Needs a Catch-Up Artist · · Score: 2

    It's better to look at your total bottom line, not individual profit centers. This is actually part of the problem at MS. It is OK for one business to lose money, as long as it supports something else. Note that iTunes used to lose money, or barely break even, but they make money on devices. Amazon gives away the hardware to make money on content. Google loses money on search, gives away hardware, so they can make money on ads and selling data on its users. All 3 sound strategies. If they broke everything into a profit center that has to make money like most companies do, they would not be leading in their perspective fields.

  2. Competitive on Google Blocks YouTube App On Windows Phone (Again) · · Score: 1

    Ford is worried more about competition from Chevy than Mercedes. Google is worried more about competition from Microsoft than Apple.

    Besides, Google makes more per iPhone than they do per Android.

    If your going to link to one of the hundreds of articles out there on this, could you not choose something more credible than Gizmodo? *sigh*

  3. Don't forget passenger comfort on Elon Musk's 'Hyperloop': More Details Revealed · · Score: 2

    If there are not windows, its a no go, this solution forgets that you are moving people.

    A mere 300mph is fine if it has car like comfort, Instead build:
        - Some type of track that can handle a small 2-4 passenger pod at 300mph, and transfer energy to the electric drive.
        - Elevate track for reasons given by Musk
        - Build canopy over track covered in solar cells to get as close as possible to zero net energy
        - Track canopy protects track from most weather
        - Cars that can handle a 300mph crash without killing occupants (big crumple zones)
        - Side windows, and a big screen in front for entertainment and possible operator interaction
        - On / Off ramps and terminals about every 30 miles. You are never more than 6 minutes or so from a terminal.
        - Computer can space cars for airflow efficiency (think Nascar drafting), and make gaps when cars need to switch tracks.
        - Build a hub and spoke network across the US, with the first track from the East Coast to the West Coast.

    Select a route with an app on your phone or touchscreen in a terminal. It shifts the nearest empty car to you (think elevator). You get in, select your in car entertainment. If you need to stop for bathroom just let the computer know, or perhaps push a button, and your car will stop at the next terminal. When you are ready you get back in and continue your journey. All the while watching something close to low level flight out the window.

    This is doable today.

  4. Rubbish on Don't Panic, But We've Passed Peak Apple (and Google, and Facebook) · · Score: 1

    The truth is we don't know. Big groundbreaking ideas are rare which is why it is amazing Apple has had 3-4 in the entire history of the company (Not every year as media for some weird reason expects), Google 2-3 maybe, and Facebook 1. These companies simply refine existing ideas over and over and make them into great products. For example Google search was groundbreaking, but gmail was taking an existing idea and cleaning it up and making it something you might want to use. Google Earth was purchased from independent developers. Until someone reinvents the phone again we will likely never see a new product that takes off like iPhones and Android again, there is simply very few things almost all of the billions if people in the world wants to own. Breakthrough innovation is really rare, but it will continue to happen. In the mean time Google and Apple will refine like crazy (sorry, just can't bring myself to put Facebook in here) and continue to make great products.

  5. Great start on 3-D Printing Enables UVA Student-Built Unmanned Plane · · Score: 1

    The shape of many of today's planes has a lot to do with buildability. This is a great start, but I hope once they a happy with the printing, they move on to more creative plane designs. To those asking "why", the correct answer is to learn. Baby steps.

  6. easier to go down on Is Microsoft's Price Model For the Surface Justifiable? · · Score: 1

    Much easier to reduce the price than raise it. start slightly high, adjust to the market.

  7. Re:Awesome! on Microsoft Surface Pricing Goes Toe-to-Toe With Apple iPad · · Score: 1

    Jobs actually talked about this in a keynote somewhere along the way (too lazy to google it). He said it was a terrible user experience, and that is why they created touchpads.

  8. One company? on Uber Gives Up On New York Taxi Service · · Score: 2

    The bigger question is, how the hell did one company get to create a monopoly on taxi service in a major city?

  9. Too Small on Asus Joins High Density Display Club With New Transformer Tablet · · Score: 1

    I'd like a tablet about the size of a piece of paper or legal pad. Build this in a 13" size (7.8" x 10.4") and I might just buy it!

  10. I'm the one he's not worried about. on DirecTV CEO Scoffs At Competition From Apple TV · · Score: 4, Interesting

    At one time hooked to our TV was a DirecTV box only. Today we have (in order of usage):

    - Apple TV. This is what the kids hit first when looking for something to watch. Mostly Netflix cartoons, our Vimeo home videos, and our Photo Stream. We have never purchased or rented a program from Apple!

    - XBox with Kinect for a gaming fix.

    - Old re-purposed Dell. This is full of all the DVD's I did not want my kids destroying (locked safely away, and yes we do own them), and a way to access anything on the net the first two don't.

    - A real antenna. Sports look horrible on my friends HDTV with all the compression! (needs fed through the computer... someday).

    I would be OK with just the first two if Apple would open the interface up for more content. I would happily pay a small ($1-5) monthly fee for channels such as Discovery, Science, etc. I'm guessing this will only happen once these channels are replaced by new content producers that are 'net only.

  11. Whole house on Ask Slashdot: Best Option For Heavy-Duty, Full-Home Surge Protection? · · Score: 1

    Our house has a device made by Joslyn labeled "secondary surge suppressor" and "lightning protective device". It simply bolts to the main breaker box, and wires to each main supply line.

    If I remember it was rather cheap ($35?). A google search of the model number finds only ebay hits, so apparently superseded.

    I believe it is similar in function to this:
    http://www.surgepack.com/transtrack-lp.htm

    No idea on effectiveness, but perhaps something to research.

  12. MPEG-LA on German Court Grants Motorola Xbox and Windows 7 Sales Ban · · Score: 1

    I'm confused. I thought the purpose for MPEG-LA was a cross licensing of all patents required for h.264 (with payment)?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.264/MPEG-4_AVC#Standardization_committee_and_history

  13. teaching, media on North Carolina Threatens To Shut Down Nutrition Blogger · · Score: 1

    Most license requirements have exemptions for common use cases that have a reason to exist, and are not actually practicing, such as teaching or news coverage. For example you need a license to give financial advise, unless doing it as an instructor or as a member of the media. Imagine if every news person, blogger, and high school life science teacher had to have a Series 7 license to do their job.

    This should be the same.

  14. Not Venus, sensationalism at its best on Snoozing Pilot Mistakes Venus For Aircraft; Panic, Injuries Ensue · · Score: 5, Informative

    He did not take evasive action to avoid Venus, but did point to Venus and briefly discussed if it was an aircraft when he first woke up. He later made the evasive maneuver when he misjudged the position of another aircraft. The two events are only connected by the fact the pilot was entirely too exhausted.

  15. Shiny discs on 30 Blu-ray Discs In a 1.5TB MiniDisc-Like Cassette · · Score: 1

    Shiny discs in 2012? No thanks.

  16. Best protection is abstenance on New Targeted Mac OS X Trojan Requires No User Interaction · · Score: 1, Informative

    To be specific uninstall Java. I did on my wife's mac, and she is yet to miss it. There is always the sandboxed java built into chrome if needed.

  17. Google and Market Choice? Perhaps. on More Malicious Apps Found On Google Play · · Score: 1

    One argument is that this is simply a market choice, A) a free and open market that is easy to upload malware, or B) a closed market that is difficult to upload malware.

    Perhaps, but I believe you can have both. If a third party was able to find this malware in the market, why can't Google? Google simply needs to make this a priority, and do a better job. Scanning and making sense of the data really is their core strength.

  18. Re:former customers? on AT&T To Unlock Out-of-Contract iPhones · · Score: 2

    That does not pass the sniff test.

    I am sure Apple would love all iPhones unlocked, eliminating the primary reason for jailbreaking. It would also keep old devices in service, giving Apple more "credit cards on file", and active on the iTunes store. In fact I could see Apple requiring unlocking to keep selling iPhones.

    Locking the devices makes it more difficult for the very popular iPhone to work on competitors networks.

    I have no insider knowledge, but locking iPhones only benefits AT&T.

  19. Area 51 and the Odd Uncle... on Coming To a War Near You: Nuclear Powered Drones · · Score: 2

    I have that "Odd Uncle" that swears the crash at Area 51 many years ago was an atomic aircraft in development, and the pilots were wearing anti-radiation suits.

  20. Technology? Not black and white on Do Tablets Help Children Learn? · · Score: 1

    Does any technology help children learn? The answer is always, it depends on how you use it.

  21. They simply adjust prices on Apple Sued By Belgian Consumer Association For Not Applying EU Warranty Laws · · Score: 0

    In countries where they have been forced into longer warranties, they simply raised their prices, essentially including the additional warranty in the base price.

  22. Not eliminate, simply make transparent on T-Mobile Exec Calls For End To Cell Phone Subsidies · · Score: 1

    We need to simply make the subsidy transparent, so the consumer sees exactly what it cost, interest, how much is left, and receives a lower bill once it is paid off.

    - Require carriers to show the subsidy and interest on the bill

    - Require the bill to drop by the amount of the subsidy once the device is paid off.

    - Require carriers to unlock devices for a small fee once paid off.

    - Require a small contract termination fee ($25?), plus the cost of the unpaid device to cancel any contract.

    - Require carriers to use devices brought to them, as long as they will operate correctly on their network.

    - Require carriers to sell the phone outright to anyone for what they sell to customers (to keep them from cheating on price).

    Put the consumers back in control.

  23. 1920x1200 laptop? on Asus PadFone Combines Smartphone, Tablet, Keyboard · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Just tell me where I can find a decent 17" laptop with at least 1920x1200 display under $1200? I have been repairing an old Dell for years now with ebay parts because I have not found a suitable replacement. Sad that my phone and tablet may soon pass my laptop in dpi.

  24. Failed at Digital on Reasons Behind the Demise of Kodak · · Score: 1

    They failed to produce compelling digital products. It really is that simple. Kodak had an early lead on the consumer space based on brand alone, much later than most would have imagined, especially among female buyers. The software bundled with the cameras was equally bad.

  25. Smartphone, Data off. on Ask Slashdot: Best Mobile Phone Solution With No Data Plan? · · Score: 1

    There is not a single quality "feature phone" on the market, so simply purchase a quality smartphone and disable the cellular data in settings. We purchased my mum an htz Radar for exactly the same purpose. She uses no cellular data but does browse the web when in wifi range, and T-Mobile has not complained yet.